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An Outdoor Life report describes Tyler Freel and Frank Schultz taking three bull elk in Colorado with 6mm Creedmoor rifles firing 93-grain bullets. The account is the basis for a podcast discussion about elk cartridges and bullet selection; it does not establish a general performance guarantee or resolve what equipment is suitable for other hunters.
Two hunters took three bull elk on a Colorado trip using 6mm Creedmoor rifles and 93-grain bullets, according to an Outdoor Life report published October 21. The account, discussed in an Outdoor Life podcast, offers a specific field example in a debate over whether elk hunting requires a larger cartridge, but it does not establish that the setup is appropriate for every hunt or shooter.
Senior staff writer Tyler Freel told Outdoor Life editor-in-chief Alex Robinson that he and his friend Frank Schultz hunted for 10 days in southern Colorado. Freel said he took two bulls and Schultz took one. The hunting opportunity came through family connections in an area where, Freel said, elk were causing crop damage and tags were available to the group.
The report describes the hunt as different from a typical backcountry elk trip. Freel said the animals were in open brush country, where they fed on crops at night. The hunters listened for bugling bulls in the evenings, then used what they had observed to plan morning setups. He said they sometimes approached within about 200 yards and waited for legal shooting light. The account does not provide a full equipment breakdown or details for each shot.
The podcast discussion centers on cartridge and bullet selection and the long-standing view that elk hunters should use the largest rifle they can manage. Freel’s reported harvest is a real-world example, not a controlled comparison: the source does not report shot placement, exact bullet construction, distances for all three kills, or how quickly each animal was recovered.
A Field Example in the Caliber Debate
The report matters to hunters weighing rifle choices because it challenges a simple assumption: that elk can be taken only with the biggest available cartridge. Freel and Schultz’s results show that three bulls were harvested with a 6mm Creedmoor and 93-grain bullets under the circumstances described in the story.
That evidence has limits. A small number of successful hunts cannot establish broad effectiveness across different distances, bullet designs, animal angles, or shooter skill levels. The account also does not replace local hunting rules or sound decisions about shot opportunity. For readers, the practical takeaway is a reported example to examine—not a universal recommendation.
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The Colorado Hunt Behind the Report
Freel said the trip followed a difficult moose-hunting stretch and a family invitation to hunt elk in Colorado. He described the area as farmland and brush country rather than forested mountain terrain. Elk were located through their evening bugling and watched as they moved toward feeding areas; the hunters then tried to intercept them in the morning.
Outdoor Life framed the conversation around elk’s reputation as tough animals and the belief that hunters need a large, hard-hitting rifle. Freel also noted that his farming family had taken many elk with the 6.5 Creedmoor. The source provides these experiences as discussion points, not a formal test comparing cartridges or bullet weights.
““We both started with one apiece.””
— Tyler Freel, Outdoor Life senior staff writer
Limits of the Reported Results
The source does not give the precise bullet make or construction, shot distances for all three elk, shot placement, or recovery details. It also does not describe a controlled comparison with other cartridges. Those omissions mean the report cannot show how the 6mm Creedmoor would perform under different conditions or support a blanket judgment about its suitability.
Freel’s comments describe one hunt and his own experience. The report does not state that every jurisdiction, tag, or hunting situation permits the same approach. Readers should check current regulations and evaluate equipment and shot opportunities for their own circumstances; the source does not offer a general safety or legal ruling.
Podcast Discussion and Further Details
Outdoor Life directed readers to the podcast episode featuring Robinson and Freel, available through Apple, Spotify, and other podcast platforms. The episode is presented as a discussion of elk cartridges and bullet selection following the Colorado hunt.
The supplied report does not announce further testing, a follow-up publication, or additional results. Any broader conclusion would require more information about the ammunition, shots, conditions, and outcomes than the article provides.
Key Questions
How many elk were taken on the trip?
Three bull elk, according to Outdoor Life: Freel took two and his friend Frank Schultz took one.
What rifle and bullets did the hunters use?
The report identifies a 6mm Creedmoor and 93-grain bullets. It does not specify the bullet brand or construction in the supplied material.
Where and when did the hunt take place?
Freel described a 10-day hunt in southern Colorado during the first week of October. The report was published October 21, 2026.
Does the report prove that the 6mm Creedmoor is suitable for every elk hunt?
No. It recounts three successful harvests but does not provide a controlled comparison or enough shot and ammunition details to establish a universal recommendation.
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